The present invention relates generally to a playyard system an d more particularly, to a playyard system with improved canopy connecting structure.
Playyards have been available for many years to provide a convenient and controlled play environment for children. Because playyards are increasingly used in outdoor environment, exposure to sunlight and insects is more common. Therefore, recent advances have been made to enhance the protection of the children inside the playyard from the sunlight and the insects, such as mosquitoes and bees. One example of a playyard system with a canopy is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,548 to Glenn. As shown in FIG. 1, the Glenn disclosed a playyard system 100 which includes a playyard structure 102 and a canopy 104. The playyard structure 102 includes a top frame, a floor portion and four vertical posts connecting the top frame and the floor portion. The canopy 104 includes a cloth consisting of a first face 108 and a second face 110 and a support member 130 inserted within a sleeve 128 located along the interface of the first and second faces 108, 110. The canopy 104 is mounted to the playyard structure 102 by inserting the ends of the support member 130 into connecting member 136 provided at the posts of the playyard structure 102.
This type of playyard system requires additional components to have a canopy mounted thereon. Thus, there is a need for a playyard system that can provide a safe and comfortable environment with fewer component number and lower manufacturing cost.
One object of the present invention is to provide a playyard system with improved canopy connecting structure for mounting a canopy thereon so as to provide a safe and comfortable environment.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve this and other objects and according to the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the playyard system includes a playyard structure and a canopy detachably mounted onto a top of the playyard structure. The playyard structure includes a top frame, a floor portion, four vertical posts connecting the top frame and the floor portion and four sides with each side being formed between each pair of adjacent posts, wherein the top frame includes four tubes and four substantially L-shaped corner blocks connecting the tubes to form a rectangular frame. Each of the corner blocks has a bulge portion formed between two arm portion thereof with an accurate groove formed in the bulge portion at a position near the corner. The canopy consists of a cloth having two sleeves provided thereon and two support members extending through the sleeves respectively. Each of the support members has a connecting portion at each of its ends and the connecting portion is configured such that it can be inserted into the arcuate slot of the bulge of the corner block to detachably mount the canopy onto the playyard structure.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the support member includes a tube body and two connecting portions, wherein the tube body consists of a number of sections each having a connecting ping at its ends and a number of flanges disposed between sections for connecting sections as one tube body and disposed at both ends of the tube body for connecting the connecting portions.
According to the other embodiment of the present invention, one portion of the canopy is formed of mesh material which provides both visibility and ventilation. This mesh material formed portion is zippered to the rest portion of the canopy so as to provide access to the interior of the playyard.
It is to be understood that both the forging general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.